Chain Reaction 2.78: The Sit-down

     Graham arrives at my front door, looking like he's ready to barge into the place if Masami doesn't let him in. That's completely unnecessary. I don't fault him one iota for wanting to check on his daughter. He sees me as I stand next to the dining room table and tell him she's upstairs on the bed. He glares at me wordlessly, and I don't have to ask why. Yes, I've frequently slept with Emily, Graham. This isn't news to you. Still, I let it roll off me. I guess I still don't blame him.

      He checks on her, sitting next to her on the bed and stroking her face. She doesn't wake up.
      "She's been asleep the entire time," I tell him. Really looking at him now, I notice my old nemesis has grayed just this afternoon from this ordeal.
      "They probably drugged her--if for nothing else to keep her quiet. It should wear off," he replies, still not looking at me.
      "How long is she supposed to sleep?"
      He does turn to look at me this time, and it's to give me a look like he thinks I'm stupid. "It depends on how much they gave her and when."
      "If she doesn't wake up in the next few hours, I'm taking her to the hospital."
      Graham returns his gaze to his daughter. "I doubt it would make a difference, really, but I won't blame you." He sighs. "She'll just sleep it off. She's safe; that's what matters."
      So I rank above kidnappers. That's good to know.
      He stands up and now looks at me with a serious expression. Very serious. He looks deadly. I actually get nervous.
      "You and I need to talk," he tells me plainly. "Downstairs."
      "Of course." I gesture for the door. Right now, I don't want him walking behind me.

      "I want to tell you that Jett McKinney has his mouth clamped tighter than a miser's purse. He won't even talk for Ethan, at least about who he was working for or any other motivations he had." Graham looks irritated at the whole situation, and I suppose he's frustrated he couldn't question Jett his way.
     "But that's not all you want to discuss," I add.
     "Correct." He pauses, sizing me up. "Earlier this morning, you mouthed off to Ethan about my real career."
     "You pissed me off."
     He gives me the stink eye again. "For telling the truth? You wrecked my teaching career."
     "Why did you have to talk to Ethan about that?"

     "Because I'm sick to plumbing death of him thinking you're the good guy!" he explodes. "I am glad you finally put a stop to that 'Uncle Alex' bull-plum. I never should've let you into my children's lives! All I wanted to do was make Brielle happy, and she was under the impression she needed your friendship. If I had to do it all over again, I'd break your face, tell you to plum off, and be done with you!"
      "Graham, geez! Calm down. I had good intentions."
      "Don't feed me your crap, Alex. I'm tired of listening to it. You and I both know your intentions were anything but honorable."

      I sigh. I may never be able to live that down. Of course Graham doesn't trust me with Emily. For many, many years, I pretended to only want friendship with Brielle, even fooling myself for a while. Now, of course, she's the last woman I want, but Graham will never forget that. He shouldn't have trusted his wife's decision; why should he trust his daughter's, especially since it deals with the same man?
     "You're right. My intentions were deceitful. Truthfully, I even fooled myself into believing it, subconsciously knowing that would make it more 'believable.' I was every bit the monster you've accused me of being."

      "So why should I believe you now?"
      Wearily, I look at Emily's father. "I don't blame you for not trusting me. All I can say is that I love Emily." I pause. "And she loves me."
      He glares at me. "When did you start loving her, Alex? When she was just a child over at your house to tutor your son?"
      "Holy plumbob, Graham! What do you take me for?"
      "The man that has tried numerous times to ruin my life," he answers plainly.
      "Then no, of course not." I watch as he stares at me, still waiting for me to answer his question. "The truth is I'm not sure. I didn't love her in the same way I do now when she was a teen, but I do know that I knew she was more special than anyone else alive. At least I can say that I didn't romantically love her until she became an adult."
       "Watch it," he growls. His fists clench, and I inwardly go on red alert. If Graham attacks me again, he's in for a surprise. There's a chance I could take him this time. We stare each other down for a few minutes, saying nothing.
       Eventually, he breaks the silence. "What I was getting at earlier is that you truly have nothing on me anymore, Alex. You spilled your threat, leaving you with nothing to hang over my head. Ethan knows now, making him never look at me the same way again. Congratulations. Does Emily know this information too?"
      "No. And I won't tell her. I'm done with blackmail. Your secrets are yours to tell. I can't guarantee that Ethan won't tell her, but she won't hear about it from me."
      "Of course not. Revealing that you knew that wouldn't put you in the best light either."

     He continues, "Because after all is said and done, no matter how much I complain and rant, somehow, she loves you." He looks like a defeated old man, but the sight does not bring me the happiness it might've once upon a time.
     Remembering our phone conversation after the time he'd tried to set her up on a lunch date, I say, "The last thing I ever want is to hurt her, Graham. You have to know that."
     "I do know that. If nothing else, I witnessed today how much you love her. You were every bit as traumatized as I was when we discovered her missing."
     I nervously drum my fingers on my thighs. Graham knows he can't forbid us from being together, how that would backfire. But does he know how far I want to take this?
     He surprises me by asking. "So what are your intentions now, Alex?"
     My mouth drops. Do I tell him? He could still want to pick a fight.

      I give him a very serious expression and tell him, "I want to ask her to marry me." This is surreal. For most of my life, I have hated the man sitting across from me. Now, I'm pretty much asking his permission to propose to his daughter.
     He sits back and covers his face with both hands. Oh, honestly, Graham. Am I really that bad? ... Okay, I guess in your eyes I am.
     "I love her with every fibre of my being. I'll give her the world if she asks for it." I wait, but he doesn't say anything. "Please, Graham. I'm begging you. Please believe me."

     He moves his hands and does an open shrug. "What can I do? Say no? Try to stop you? All that did was make me look bad."
     "I want to bury the hatchet."
     "You tried to ruin my life."
     "You ruined my father's. You destroyed his company, making me lose my job and go broke for a while, remember?"
     "Your father and his 'company' needed to be stopped."
     "I did not know what he was supporting or I never would've signed on for it. I am not my father." I take a breath. "I'm a successful businessman. In a way, I have you to thank. I hold no grudge against you for arresting and ruining my father, never did. I'm only pointing out what happened because it had to do with career moves."

     He whispers, "I loved being a teacher. I was good at it."
     "I apologize for my angry and vindictive action."
     "Again. What can I do? You want to marry Emily--"
     "If she says yes."
     "--what can I do? Damn. I never pictured you for a son-in-law."

      I take a breath, daring to let the hopefulness grow. "Does that mean... Is that your roundabout way of saying I have your support?"
      "Plum you, Alex. Emily has my support. I'll support whatever decision she makes. But if you're looking to make friends, that's not going to happen." He stands up, pushing his chair back under the table.
     "Fair enough." Honestly, I can't really expect more than that.
     Graham stops at the door and turns back around to face me. "Before I go, I have to tell you thank you for your help today. We wouldn't have been able to find her, at least that quickly, without your skills."
      My eyes widen that he'd acknowledge me in that way. "I've never been so glad to have such an aptitude as I did today."
      He nods and starts to open the door. "Text me when she wakes."

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